HOW TO START USING CONNECT THE THOUGHTS

(for all ages)

Copyright 2008 Steven David Horwich

Samantha Bayliss (order #3014231)

HOW TO START USING CONNECT THE THOUGHTS A PARENT/TUTOR GUIDE

Welcome! You are starting study with a unique and comprehensive curriculum. Not only will you (or your student) learn things many students rarely learn, but youll be asked to decide what is important or not important for you. This is YOUR education, not someone elses. PARENTS/TUTORS/TEACHERS: PLEASE READ ALL OF THE FOLLOWING MATERIALS BEFORE STARTING! This is a step-by-step explanation describing how to use the Connect The Thoughts curriculum.

Samantha Bayliss (order #3014231)

BASIC STARTER INFORMATION

First, some basic information, facts that you can base your work with our curriculum around: -Currently the courses are designed for home school use. It is very hands on for the student, and demands his or her full attention for the four hours a day or so they work. - The curriculum is delivered through individual study guides, and each study guide is a step-by-step series of actions carefully designed to teach the student a given area of study in the most effective way. These guides should be done in the indicated sequence written within each guide (dont skip around), and ideally in sequence from course to course. EACH STUDENT WILL NEED HIS OR HER OWN COPY OF EACH COURSE THEY WILL DO. (Please be advised that it is illegal under copyright laws to make copies of these courses. Each course provided or sold is intended for the use of one student, only.)

- All tests and answer guides for each course are found attached to the courses, and should NOT be made readily available to the student until he or she is ready for a test. Answer Guides should not be reviewed by students. These are for the tutor (or parents) use. - Many of the Study Guides use related materials such as a text book other books, an Atlas, a globe, and specific movies (almost always on DVD, and there are many in science and history, particularly Upper School). The needed materials for each course are listed at the front of the Study Guide, usually on the second page. All the needed materials should be readily at hand for the student, before starting a course. NO RELATED MATERIALS ARE SUPPLIED BY CONNECT THE THOUGHTS. It will be your responsibility to look over the provided lists of needed materials and secure them. These lists are available on a course-by-course basis, on our site,

www.connectthethoughts.com.

Samantha Bayliss (order #3014231)

REQUIRED BOOKS AND FILMS for connect the thoughts

SUGGESTIONS: One way to have access to the majority of the needed DVDs is to sign up for a service like Netflix. They seem to carry almost all the films on the courses. This requires a monthly fee and provides unlimited use of up to three-four CDs at a time, plus they pay shipping and handling. Another way to work is through the library system, which one student has now done with great success for over four years. This is time-intensive, however.

Samantha Bayliss (order #3014231)

HOW TO START
STEP ONE SET UP THE STUDY AREA 1) Have all the needed courses, books, a globe, an Atlas, computer, printer, and other materials ready. Each student should have his own desk or study area. Each student should have easy access to dictionaries that are correct for their reading level, a good encyclopedia is a plus, the internet is almost a must. Make certain the room is not temperature or moisture challenged. A comfortable, quiet, safe area is a must. STEP TWO STARTING THE STUDENT 1) Have the needed supplies ready. These include the following study materials for LOWER SCHOOL: (Well help you locate the suggested courses a few pages down from here): Complete Spelling Program Information - Right Or Wrong; How To Do Connect The Thoughts Courses; Lower School How To Do Research; Creative Writing I; LS History I; LS Science Basics; Basics of Computer Literacy (only if needed); Manners Course Your selected Math curriculum (We suggest Saxon Math) A PE option (sporting league, karate, dance, something.) A blank form for their spelling program A selected reading book. (Use our reading program to select a book.) An elective, if one has been selected.

Samantha Bayliss (order #3014231)

6 Have the study materials youll need to start UPPER SCHOOL: Complete Spelling Program How To Do Connect The Thoughts Courses; Information - Right Or Wrong; Control: You Or Them? Upper School How To Do Research; Creative Writing I; US History I US Science Basics; Basics of Computer Literacy (only if needed) (Inform the student that upon completing page 28 of Science Basics, and Right Or Wrong?, the student will then start Upper School History I Pre-History, as well as continue with their Science studies.) Your selected Math curriculum (We suggest Saxon Math) A PE option (sporting league, karate, dance, something.) A blank form for their spelling program A selected reading book. (Use our reading program to select a book.) An elective, if one has been selected.

2) The student is walked through the daily study schedule. Here is a sample schedule for LOWER SCHOOL: Orientation 9:00-9:05 Science/Creative Writing (split weekly) 9:05-9:55 Break 9:55-10:10 Math 10:10-11:05 History 11:05-12:00 Lunch 12:00-12:50 Elective 12:50- 1:50 Break 1:50-2:05 P.E. 2:05-3:00 Heres a sample schedule for UPPER SCHOOL: Orientation Science Break Math Creative Writing Lunch History Break P.E./Elective 9:00-9:05 9:05-9:55 9:55-10:10 10:10-11:05 11:05-12:00 12:00-12:50 12:50-2:50 2:50-3:00 3:00-4:00

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7 (NOTE The schedules above are offered for students who need a lot of structure to progress. We prefer an OPEN SCHEDULE to a set schedule. An open schedule means that at the start of each semester the student determines broad goals, such as the math book he must complete that year; X number of science courses; X number of history courses; X number of creative writing course; and X number of electives the student expresses interest in. It is then left up to the student to determine what he works on and when. If he wishes to work one particular subject for a few hours, a day, a week, even a month, fine, so long as the student takes responsibility and completes their courses for the school year. We also dont think its appropriate to tell students when they are to be hungry, when they need breaks, or when they need to go to the bathroom. This is degrading for the student. We urge you to allow the student to determine his daily schedule. This is a freedom home schooling permits. This probably works with more ease with Upper School students. You will have to monitor each students weekly and monthly progress, and may recommend they spend some time on subjects theyre ignoring or not progressing in. But if a student wants to do their math in the final six weeks of study (as an example), we say so be it, so long as they take full responsibility for his work! Also, if the student is in a sport league, dance or martial arts class, say, or in separate art classes, or ANYTHING which might be looked at as an elective or PE course, these should be included as a part of study time each day, though they will usually not be during the hours of a standard school day. 3) Make certain every new student understands that as a student, they must be wellrested and fed (no sugar!). Explain that the students homework will include: -Reading (the equivalent of one book per month at the students reading level.) -Spelling (once a week, ten words, to be done over the weekend) -Any lines which need to be memorized for theatre arts -Remedial work (if the student does very poorly on a given test and requires a review of materials) No other homework will usually be assigned! 4) Go over the spelling program with the student. Explain that the blank form is to be used to place words which the student has found they misspelled during the week of work. If a word is misspelled several times, thats fine, list it several times. Explain that on Friday, the student will select 10 words from the list the student has made. The student will drill these 10 words over the weekend, and be quizzed on their spelling each Monday morning. Heres the direct link: http://www.currclick.com/product_info.php?manufacturers_id=138&products_id= 21544&it=1&filters=0_0&manufacturers_id=138 5) Have the student start studies with whatever should be studied, given your schedule and the time of day.

Samantha Bayliss (order #3014231)

6) Enter the student in your roll call log. Enter them as present on this first day of attendance. (This is a legal requirement, daily attendance.)

Samantha Bayliss (order #3014231)

9 STEP THREE CONTINUING WITH YOUR STUDENTS 7) Each day, take attendance. Keep a written record of this, and keep it clear. This is legally required of you. 8) Make certain your student progresses every day in their selected studies for each day of study. 9) Make certain students thoroughly understand every defined term, and that they use each new term correctly in several sentences. 10) Make certain the students really locate places on maps and globes, as assigned. 11) If a student is tired from lack of rest, or poorly fed, immediately solve this. Be active in this. 12) Allow no sugar before or during study. (Strongly suggested!) 13) Every Monday, check the student out on their Friday spelling list, then give them a new blank form. If they miss words upon checking out their spelling, place the words misspelled at the top of the new page. These will be given to the student next Friday, again. 14) TESTING: As students get to the end of sections of studies, theyll often arrive at a test. Allow the students one hour to review if they need it. Tests are provided, along with answer guides, as a part of each course. Give your student only the test theyre currently on. DO NOT have them write on the test page, as they may need to retest. Do NOT show the student the answer guide. Let them do the test in a reasonable amount of time, from 20 minutes (tests with maybe 10 questions) to well over an hour for very long tests (50 questions or more). Do NOT provide the correct answers to missed questions; just send the student back to the correct materials for review. Each Test Answer Guide contains the answers to each question on that test, as well as WHERE IN THE STUDY MATERIALS THOSE ANSWERS CAN BE FOUND. (EXAMPLE: Pg 3 study guide.) When a student completes a test, they will need to look at the correct answers, and sometimes the materials those answers are found in. The answer guides make this simple for the tutor and student. VERY IMPORTANT In testing, a students answers do not need to be (and should not be) verbatim, memorized answers from the materials. We are interested only in conceptual understanding. Can the student understand the ideas, and use them? Thats ALL WERE INTERESTED IN, and not their ability to memorize!

Samantha Bayliss (order #3014231)

10 GRADING: Additionally, at the end of every answer guide is a guide for what to do, regarding test results. Usually, if the student misses 10% or less of the questions, we ask they look over the correct answers before moving into the next area of study. If they miss 11%-20% of the questions, we ask that they review the correct answers and the materials in which those answers were located in the study materials. If the student misses more than 20% of the questions, we ask that they review ALL written materials in that section of study (but DO NOT RE-DO EXERCISES!), and then retest. If a re-study is required, we recommend that no more than three school periods be used to accomplish this review. Homework is allowed during this time, as the student is temporarily remedial in this area. It should be made very clear to the student that they are expected to really understand the materials studied and move on. We do not want a student to remain remedial! A student moves on to the next area of study when the test just taken is corrected to 100% comprehension, and not before. The purpose of testing is to discover what the student did not thoroughly and correctly understand in his studies, in order to remedy these areas up to 100% comprehension. Testing has no other purpose. Let the student know this before he tests, if there is fear. We dont give grades. All tests are corrected to 100% comprehension, which would allow only one grade to be given when the test is completeA+. 15) When students complete courses, move them immediately to the next course in that area of study.

Samantha Bayliss (order #3014231)

11 16) THE SEQUENCE OF COURSES TO BE DONE, AND IMPORTANT NOTES ON OVERALL DELIVERY METHODS: This is an overview of the courses of study your student will do over their studies.

FOR LOWER SCHOOL (ages 9-10):

Start with these courses, in order, (with LINKS to purchase these courses on currclick provided). (To use these links, just cut and paste them into your browser.) -How To Do Connect The Thoughts Courses course (FREE on currclick: http://www.currclick.com/product_info.php?manufacturers_id=138&products_id= 21550&it=1&filters=0_0&manufacturers_id=138 -Information Right or Wrong http://www.currclick.com/product_info.php?manufacturers_id=138&products_id=212 67&it=1&filters=0_0&manufacturers_id=138 -LS How To Do Research http://www.currclick.com/product_info.php?manufacturers_id=138&products_id=216 05&it=1&filters=0_0&manufacturers_id=138 Then continue with these courses, all done simultaneously: -LS History 1-14 (in sequence, one at a time) http://www.currclick.com/product_info.php?manufacturers_id=138&products_id=212 80&it=1&filters=0_0&manufacturers_id=138 -LS Science 1-5 (in sequence, one course per semester only, please) http://www.currclick.com/product_info.php?manufacturers_id=138&products_id=212 47&it=1&filters=0_0&manufacturers_id=138 -CW I-II (in sequence, one at a time) -Further Creative Writing courses are done in Upper School only. Upon completing CW I-II (which they will quickly do), ask the student to read and write whatever, and as much as they wish, without any comment or critique from anyone. http://www.currclick.com/product_info.php?manufacturers_id=138&products_id= 21240&it=1&filters=0_0&manufacturers_id=138 -A PE Option -Manners Course http://www.currclick.com/product_info.php?manufacturers_id=138&products_id= 23383&it=1&filters=0_0&manufacturers_id=138

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12 -An Elective (Ours include Animation I-III; Music Theory I-II; and LS Acting I-II Animation I http://www.currclick.com/product_info.php?manufacturers_id=138&products_id= 21297&it=1&filters=0_0&manufacturers_id=138 Music I http://www.currclick.com/product_info.php?manufacturers_id=138&products_id= 21545&it=1&filters=0_0&manufacturers_id=138 Lower School Acting I http://www.currclick.com/product_info.php?manufacturers_id=138&products_id= 21293&it=1&filters=0_0&manufacturers_id=138 -You may wish to find something on your own, such as an art class, music lessons, dance, etc.)

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FOR UPPER SCHOOL (ages 11-adult):

Start with these courses, in order: -How To Do Connect The Thoughts Courses course http://www.currclick.com/product_info.php?manufacturers_id=138&products_id= 21550&it=1&filters=0_0&manufacturers_id=138 -Information Right or Wrong http://www.currclick.com/product_info.php?manufacturers_id=138&products_id=212 67&it=1&filters=0_0&manufacturers_id=138 -US How To Do Research http://www.currclick.com/product_info.php?manufacturers_id=138&products_id=212 73&it=1&filters=0_0&manufacturers_id=138

Then continue with these courses, all done simultaneously: -US Science 1-8 (in sequence, one per semester only, please) http://www.currclick.com/product_info.php?manufacturers_id=138&products_id=233 69&it=1&filters=0_0&manufacturers_id=138

-US History 1-11 (in sequence, one at a time) There are 11 Upper School History Courses, to be done in order. These are to be done immediately upon completing the first 28 pages of US Science Basics. http://www.currclick.com/product_info.php?manufacturers_id=138&products_id=212 74&it=1&filters=0_0&manufacturers_id=138 -CW I-V (in sequence, one at a time) Further Creative Writing courses are done optionally. http://www.currclick.com/product_info.php?manufacturers_id=138&products_id= 21240&it=1&filters=0_0&manufacturers_id=138 -A PE Option -Manners Course http://www.currclick.com/product_info.php?manufacturers_id=138&products_id= 23383&it=1&filters=0_0&manufacturers_id=138

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14 -An Elective (Ours include Animation I-V; Music Theory I-IV; and US Acting I-II. Animation I http://www.currclick.com/product_info.php?manufacturers_id=138&products_id= 21297&it=1&filters=0_0&manufacturers_id=138 Music I http://www.currclick.com/product_info.php?manufacturers_id=138&products_id= 21545&it=1&filters=0_0&manufacturers_id=138 Lower School Acting I http://www.currclick.com/product_info.php?manufacturers_id=138&products_id= 21293&it=1&filters=0_0&manufacturers_id=138 CURRENT EVENTS COURSES You may wish to find something on your own, such as an art class, music lessons, dance, etc.) We offer a strong series of Current Events Courses, called World Problem Courses. These provide significant amounts of information, and demand of the student a lot of research, improving their skills in locating and using information markedly. Here are links to a few of these courses: Endangered Species http://www.currclick.com/product_info.php?products_id=21756&it=1&filters=0_0 &manufacturers_id=138 Environmental Concerns http://www.currclick.com/product_info.php?products_id=23656&it=1&filters=0_0 &manufacturers_id=138 Energy Concerns http://www.currclick.com/product_info.php?products_id=23680&it=1&filters=0_0 &manufacturers_id=138 Human Rights Abuses http://www.currclick.com/product_info.php?products_id=23251&it=1&filters=0_0 &manufacturers_id=138 Global Poverty & Hunger http://www.currclick.com/product_info.php?products_id=21678&it=1&filters=0_0 &manufacturers_id=138 Terrorism http://www.currclick.com/product_info.php?products_id=22182&it=1&filters=0_0 &manufacturers_id=138

Samantha Bayliss (order #3014231)

15 OTHER STUDIES FOR ALL STUDENTS: Mathematics must be included in a complete curriculum. We do not offer Math courses, but recommend Saxon Math. In lower grades, you will probably use (in sequence, one book per year, including Saxon 5/4; Saxon 6/5 and Saxon 7/6, followed by Saxon Algebra . (Saxon 8/7 is a review of earlier studies.) Saxon offers tests to evaluate a students level of study on their website. We also recommend Consumer Mathematics, published by AGS Publishers. Upper School students may work their way into Saxon Algebra I, and Saxon Algebra II, etc. Reading: Students should read one book per month at their level of reading, and it should be a book they select and are interested in. This is home work only. They should make a list as they read of all words they read and have to define, and on what page the words were found. This list should be turned in, with a 100 word report stating what book was read, how long it took, how many pages it was, who the author is, and what the student liked or disliked about the book. The tutor/parent would then randomly select three-five words off the students list and check the student for conceptual understanding. (NOT a verbatim definition.) If the student does well, that book is done. If not, have the student make certain the words defined while reading were well defined and understood before moving on. Spelling is done each week, as described above. Grammar (English Composition) courses could be included. (We do not offer one.) Foreign Language courses may be included, as you see fit. (We do not offer any.) This is required for Upper School, by many states. Vacations: Students can do the Vacation course when they get a break and are going somewhere. Art Electives: We offer lengthy study options in Animation (3-4 years), Music (3-4 years) including many music history courses, and Acting (1 year), plus a handbook for serious home school acting students. See our website, www.connectthethoughts.com. Other Electives: Include Artists Basics, which can be done after the student has completed Creative Writing II, Animation II, Music Theory I, or Acting I. Plans & Ambitions should only be done by Upper School Student is on History X or later. Manners can be done at any time, and help the student define their relationships with people important to them. Artists Basics Course http://www.currclick.com/product_info.php?products_id=22213&it=1&filters=0_0 &manufacturers_id=138

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16 Your Plans & Ambitions Course http://www.currclick.com/product_info.php?manufacturers_id=138&products_id= 22401&it=1&filters=0_0&manufacturers_id=138

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IMPORTANT NOTE ON DELIVERING CREATIVE WRITING AND OTHER COURSES:

(The rule on Creative Writing courses is that NO criticism or correction is to be given to the student on their work, not of spelling, grammar, subject matter, or of anything at all. The tutor or parents job is to see the student fully does each exercise, and to admire the results, period! The same applies to all arts courses. Courses in History and Science should be handled in the same manner, unless a student clearly does not understand the studied materials. In which case, the student should be placed back a step (from exercises back to materials read; materials back to words defined; words back to places located as needed, until the student finds what he did not understand and is able to easily move forward.) 17) WHEN IS A STUDENT FINISHED WITH CTT? LOWER SCHOOL: Students are moved up from Lower to Upper School immediately when: -They pass the US reading test on our site: www.connectthethoughts.net, OR -They complete all of the available Lower School History, Science, Creative Writing, and Social Skills Development curriculum. UPPER SCHOOL: Students are graduated upon completing US History XI, US Science VIII, US Developing Social Skills, two years of High School level Mathematics, and economics course, two years of High School level Foreign Language (if required by your area), and at least Creative Writing V. A student is not finished with the Connect The Thoughts program until this is accomplished, regardless of age. NOTE When an Upper School student completes Creative Writing V, the student is then asked two questions; Do you wish to continue with your writing studies? (If no, stop. If yes, ask:) In which of these seven areas would you like to specialize first? Screenwriting; Television Writing; Playwriting Novels & Short Story Writing; Lyrics and Poetry P.R. (available in late 2007) Non-Fiction & Technical Writing (available in late 2007) Based on the students answer, they would start the appropriate specialist course. (A student may do as many of these as they wish and can do, but should probably do one at a time.)

Samantha Bayliss (order #3014231)

18 STEP EIGHT GENERAL STUDY NOTES FOR UPPER AND LOWER SCHOOL STUDENTS WHAT TO DO WITH A STUDENT WHO STRUGGLES: USING THE STEPS IN THE STUDY GUIDES All students are working with study guides. Study guides are broken into LESSON PLANS, each one to be done in a period of study, from an hour to 2 hours, depending on the course. These generally break down daily sections of study into four actions to be done by the student, in this sequence: 1) Locations mentioned in the materials to be studied are found on a globe and map. 2) Difficult or important words for the materials about to be studied are defined simply and as is relevant. 3) The materials are read or viewed (if film). 4) Exercises are done to allow the student to use and evaluate the information studied. Study materials are usually broken into small sections, and each small section (2001000 words, 5-40 minutes of film) are treated in the manner described above. If a student sticks or struggles on a certain action, the tutor should send the student back to the last action done, to see if it was done thoroughly. In other words, if a student cant do the exercises (the fourth step in most lessons), send them back to the materials (step three) to re-study. If they cant understand what hes reading (or viewing) (step three), send them back to the words section (step two in most lessons), and the locations section (step one in the lesson) as needed, until he can understand the materials. If needed, send the student back to the last lesson! If the student has other words in his studies which are not defined in the study guide, but which they do not understand fully, they MUST get a full definition understood and used in sentences. If a word defined on the course is not fully grasped, the student MUST check the word in a dictionary or two. (Maybe the student does not understand a word in that initial words definition. That would need to be defined and used, as well.) Remember that students who are doing these courses are working with materials above their normal grade level. If the student does not fully grasp the words read in these often college-level texts, he will not make it through this curriculum. Assume if he struggles that this has occurred.

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19 WHAT TO DO WITH A STUDENT WHO STRUGGLES: USING TEACHERS GUIDES If a student sticks on a given exercise but he does understand the materials, he may have a problem with the ability to actually confront and deal with the concepts being employed, rather than words or exercises. Some of our courses come with Teachers Guides (especially Creative Writing I-IV, and early Science and History courses). These offer many antidotes to exercises on which students may stick. Just open the Teachers Guide to that exercise and do what it suggests, in sequence. The offered solutions are simplified variations of the exercise in the study guide. They deal with some small part of the ideas or objects which the student is being asked to confront. These may be used to work the student up to the level of the exercise in the study guide which has stopped him temporarily. WHAT TO DO WITH A STUDENT WHO SOARS: Validate the student often. Let them move as quickly through the materials as they are able, so long as they are thorough and never glib. Our tests, as they are structured to do so, reveal glibness. If a student completes school at an early age, and they are truly educated and capable, so be it. WHAT TO DO WITH A STUDENT WHO DEMANDS HOMEWORK: As long as it isnt the students parents or tutor making the demand, so be it. Dont recommend homework, except in reading, spelling, line memorization for theatre, or for temporarily remedial students! But whatever subject the student may wish to spend more time with, great! WHAT TO DO WITH STUDENTS WHO START THE PROGRAM WITH TOO FEW YEARS TO COMPLETE THE FULL PROGRAM: There are programs for Upper School students for 1 year, 2 years, and 3 years, available at our website at

www.connectthethoughts.com
WHAT TO DO WITH TIRED STUDENTS: Make certain they have a thorough, conceptual understanding of the words theyve read and/or heard in their recent studies. If they are tired because they have had too little sleep or rest, handle this. DO NOT make a tired student continue studying! Theyll learn nothing. Create a system or policy to make certain this doesnt happen again.

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20 WHAT TO DO WITH HUNGRY STUDENTS: Feed them. (No sugar). Create a system or policy to make certain this doesnt happen again.

_____________________________

We hope you find this HOW TO START CONNECT THE THOUGHTS Guide helpful. You can always get more information on our courses at

www.connectthethoughts.com

While visiting our site, please feel free to join our YAHOO! Support Group for home school families
and individuals using

For students ages 5-8 years of age, we offer

1 ST E P
To find out more about 1st Step, please visit our CTT site and use the links there to go to 1st Step.

st

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Samantha Bayliss (order #3014231)